1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control lever system for a parking brake and, more particularly, to an improvement of a control lever system for a parking brake, in which a recess is provided in interior equipment of a motor vehicle, and in which a releasing knob for returning the control lever from an operating position to a releasing position is disposed on a peripheral surface of a grip of the control lever, the peripheral surface corresponding to an opened face of the recess.
2. Description of the Related Art
A control lever for the parking brake can include a releasing knob in a protruding state on a head of a grip, which knob is operated for returning the control lever from the operating position to the releasing position (for example, see Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-39975). However, this control lever is not well integrated into the interior equipment.
An example of a control lever for a parking brake, for motor vehicles such as automobiles, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,990,322 to Hoffmann. The Hoffmann hand brake arrangement is integrated into a storage tray that is part of a center tunnel between the front seats in an automobile. However, if an attempt is made to attach a control lever having the above-described releasing knob to the interior equipment, so that the control lever is accommodated in the recess of the interior equipment in the releasing position, a space for receiving a driver's finger for operating the releasing knob must be secured in the recess. Such a recessed space cannot be provided in the interior equipment while maintaining an integrated structure. In addition, a control lever system with such a configuration adversely affects the beauty of the interior equipment.